2019 National League

Friday 15 February

RACE ATTENDANCE

Feedback from crews has indicated that some crews are unable to attend all races throughout the season due to a number of factors including:-

  • Long travel distances
  • Cost
  • Number of members in a club
  • Attendance at other dragon boat events

The structure of the league penalises these crews as they are not able to attend all races and hence gain maximum points. 

In addition, feedback has told us that at the races with fewer racing lanes there is a lot of time between races for some paddlers. 

We are trying to encourage new clubs to form in order to grow the sport and this year we have some new clubs joining the league.  This will further increase pressure on the events that have only three racing lanes.  

To alleviate the pressure on the events with only three racing lanes and alleviate pressure on the clubs to attend all events we will be allocating points in the 2019 league as follows:-

  • All points for the events at Stockton, Royal Albert Dock, Nottingham and Milton Keynes will count in full for all crews. Not attending one of these events will prevent crews from gaining maximum points in the league. 
  • Only the highest three results for the events at Liverpool, Worcester, Surrey Docks and Wath will be counted towards the league points.

This will mean that crews who do not attend one event from Liverpool, Worcester, Surrey Docks and Wath will still be able to score maximum points.  Crews that attend all four of those events will have their worst result discarded. 

Liverpool, Worcester and Surrey Docks have been selected as they are only able to provide three lane racing and hence gaps between races for individual crews are generally longer.  Wath has been selected as a new event which may benefit from fewer crews in the first year.  The events represent a spread across the country giving all crews an opportunity to reduce their travel distances.